


If It's True

by rissaleigh49



Series: Any Way the Wind Blows [11]
Category: Lore Olympus (Webcomic)
Genre: Abusive Parents, Angst with a Happy Ending, Childhood, Children, Demeter is still unstable, F/M, Family Feels, Gen, Inspired by Hadestown, Kinda, Tension, and kinda terrible, things are happening
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-23
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:56:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26864755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rissaleigh49/pseuds/rissaleigh49
Summary: Persephone and Hades navigate their family life.Sequel to "Wedding Song".
Relationships: Hades/Persephone (Lore Olympus)
Series: Any Way the Wind Blows [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1590340
Comments: 30
Kudos: 111





	1. Sweet Girl

**Author's Note:**

> Hellooooooooo! We. Are. BACK! This fic is going to work a little differently than the other parts of the series... rather than having a fairly linear plot, this one is going to time jump around a bit. It will still go chronologically, but we're focusing on specific moments instead of a finite period of time. Anyway, prepare for cuteness and angst and all the fun things!

Persephone rubbed her swollen belly absentmindedly as she listened to the reports from the flower nymph in front of her. Her second pregnancy was proving to be harder than her first, so she was relying far more on her mother and the nymphs and dryads to make sure the growing season was prosperous enough to both feed the mortals now, and store enough so they could make it through the winter. 

Just as she was about to shift her weight from one aching foot to the other, she heard a high pitched squealing behind her that made her smile wider than she had all week. 

“Mama!” Makaria cried, her white-pale skin almost sparkling in the summer sun. Her mess of wild purple curls was half pulled up into a ponytail high on top of her head; the rest that was left down, spilling over her shoulders and was flying every which way as she ran towards her mother. 

With a grin Persephone completely turned away from the nymph in front of her, kneeling down to catch her daughter in a cuddly embrace. 

“Hello my sweet girl! Oh how I’ve missed you,” Persephone said, peppering little kisses all over the toddler’s face, making her giggle. “Where’s your daddy, hm? I know you didn’t come all this way without him.”

Makaria’s burgundy eyes perked up at the mention of her father. She turned in her mother’s arms, pointing to a tall blue figure walking beside a black dog. “Daddy’s over there! And doggy!”

Persephone laughed, sitting on the ground so she could pull Makaria into her lap, inhaling her daughter’s sweet scent of calm sleep and melted ice cream. She tickled Makaria’s tummy, relishing in the sound of her tinkling laugh. 

Suddenly, there was a shadow looming over the pair. Persephone looked up, pleased to see her husband’s wavy locks and smiling face. 

“Hello, love,” he said, easily picking up Makaria around her middle with one arm and sitting her on his shoulder. He kept his arm tight around her legs so he could use his other hand to reach down to help his wife up. 

Persephone grinned, standing on her tiptoes to try and give him a kiss. With a chuckle, Hades bent his head to meet her halfway, still keeping a firm hold on Makaria. 

“Ahem,” the nymph standing behind the reuniting family awkwardly cleared her throat. “I’m sorry, Miss Kore; would you like me to leave?” 

Hades bit his lip, trying to hold back his sarcastic comment. Persephone gave him a gentle pat on the arm for his effort. “I’m so sorry, Ivy. Please head back to the fields and let everyone know they’ve done very well and can take the weekend off. I’ll tell my mother to keep a closer eye on the eggplants when I see her.”

With a stiff nod, Ivy left the family to their reunion, quickly running off in the direction of the vegetable fields. With a sigh, Hades gave Persephone a very unimpressed look. “Miss Kore? Still?”

Persephone gave him another pat on his arm, reaching down to scratch Cerberus' lone visible head, to stop his whining. “The nymphs will stop calling me Kore when my mother does, which will never happen. It’s not worth fighting over.”

Hades opened his mouth to respond, but the toddler sitting on his shoulder tapped the top of his head. “Yes, my dear?” Hades said to her, giving her a silly grin. 

“Where is Yia-Yia?” Makaria said seriously, and Persephone had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing. 

“I think she’s behind the house. Would you like to go see her?” Persephone asked, and smiled at her daughter’s enthusiastic nod. 

Hades shifted Makaria so that he was holding her against his hip, keeping a better hold on her as they walked. 

Demeter was standing on her patio, watering some of her potted plants. She tried to force a smile when she saw Hades and Makaria with her daughter, but all she was able to manage was a grim line. 

“Yia-Yia!” Makaria cried, leaning over and reaching for her grandmother from Hades’ arms. 

Demeter carefully took the child, placing a small kiss on her forehead. “Kore, I wasn’t aware we were meant to have visitors,” she said, sounding like a parent scolding their teenager for staying out too late.

“Not visitors, Mama. My  _ family _ has missed me, and I them. I’ve been away for over a week now, and everything is growing as it should,” Persephone explained very slowly, as if she was talking to her daughter, instead of her mother. 

“But what about the eggplants? Don’t you think they’re a little small?”

Persephone rolled her eyes. “If you had checked on them this morning like I had asked you to there wouldn’t be a problem. I’ve given the nymphs the weekend off; please keep an eye on the eggplants. I’ll be back on Monday morning.”

Demeter sighed, placing her granddaughter down beside her. “I’m assuming that means you won’t be staying tonight either?”

“No, Mother. I’ve stayed all week. I need to be home with my family.”

“Am I not your family?”

“Demeter,” Hades said, his voice low and quiet, so as not to alarm his daughter. “You made a deal with Persephone - you would stop killing the mortals if she introduced spring and stayed with you _ sometimes _ . No one is saying you’re not part of our family. But our daughter deserves her mother at home more than once a week.”

Demeter scoffed, and Persephone knew where this conversation was going. Almost every time the three of them were together since Makaria had been born, Demeter would make some underhanded comment about Hades being an unfit parent. Determined to nip it in the bud this time, Persephone interrupted. “Also, my feet and back are  _ killing _ me, and I have just been  _ dying  _ for a bath in our jacuzzi tub.”

Demeter pursed her lips, absentmindedly playing with Makaria’s ponytail. “Well, I suppose I can’t fault you  _ that _ ,” she said. “I remember going up to Olympus to use Hera’s when I was pregnant with you.”

Persephone laughed, reaching to give her mother a hug. “I’ll be back on Monday, Mama, okay?” 

Demeter nodded, then looked as if she remembered something. “Oh! I almost forgot; I have something for my little Makaria,” she said, turning and making towards the patio door. “It will only take a second, come on!”

Makaria giggled, loving the idea of her Yia-Yia having a present for her, and ran after her into the house. Persephone just shrugged, and she and Hades followed the two purple-haired goddesses into the large kitchen. 

Demeter was bent over the fridge in the kitchen, and Makaria was seated on the kitchen counter across from her. Persephone reached beside her to squeeze Hades’ hand when she heard him mumbling “the amount of shit she gives me when  _ I _ put her on the counter…”

“Aha! Here it is.” Demeter straightened, holding a clear, pint sized container full of homemade yogurt. “I remembered how much she loved it the last time she was here, so I asked Peneus’ wife to make some more for me. I just picked it up this morning!” 

“That was very kind, Demeter. What do you say, sweet girl?” Hades said, walking over to help her off the counter. 

“Tank you, Yia-Yia!” Makaria said enthusiastically, taking the container from her grandmother as if it was the most fragile and precious thing in the world.

* * *

“Alright baby bean, you know what time it is,” Hades said, kneeling down to speak to his daughter a little closer to eye level. 

Makaria pouted, shuffling her feet and looking at him through her lashes. “I don’t wanna nap. Mama’s home!” 

Hades sighed, and Persephone chuckled. “Mama is also going to take a nap, sweet girl. We can do something fun after we’re all rested, okay?”

The toddler’s lip jutted out a bit more as she gave a pitiful sigh. “Okay… Can Daddy take?” she asked, holding out her container of yogurt. 

It was Hades’ turn to chuckle as he made his way to the kitchen to put it away. Persephone took her daughter’s hand and led her to bed, so she could tuck the almost-three-year-old in for her nap. 

It took a little longer than usual to get the toddler changed and settled for her afternoon nap, and Persephone had to stomp down the pangs of guilt threatening her happy reunion with her daughter as Makaria regaled her Mama with every little detail from the last week. 

As she made her way back to her and Hades’ bedroom, she heard the telltale signs of a bath being run for her. She smiled, finding her husband clad in just his boxers, pouring a generous portion of lavender bubble bath. 

“Well, isn’t this just the best welcome home I’ve ever received?” she teased, leaning against the door frame. She very nearly melted at the grin he tossed her over his shoulder. 

“You did say you wanted a bath. I take it Makaria didn’t go down easy?”

“She was just talkative. She missed me,” Persephone sighed, sitting on the closed toilet seat. “Can you help me with my sandals? I can’t really bend at the moment.”

Hades dropped to his knees, carefully unbuckling her sandals and tossing them out the door into their bedroom. “Don’t worry about it, Sweetness. She knows you love her, and that’s all that matters. Your mother will settle eventually.”

When Persephone didn’t respond, Hades pulled her up to her feet, helping her strip out of the mortal garb she was wearing. Once they were both naked, Hades stepped into the bath, helping Persephone in after him.

“Can you believe she’ll be three in two weeks?” Persephone asked, shifting a little to find a position where her back didn’t twinge. 

“Hardly.” Hades pulled her back to lean against his chest. “Comfortable?” he asked, and she rested her head against his shoulder, humming in contentment. “Jets?”

Another hum from Persephone, and with a chuckle, Hades leaned back to hit the button on the side of the tub. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know who we're thanking - beta Swoonie, all of you, my lovely support systems...
> 
> anyway, feedback is welcome, and I hope you enjoyed 
> 
> xoxo  
> Rissa


	2. Here We Go: Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hades has thoughts, and Makaria has a birthday party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello my lovelies! welcome back, and buckle up, cause we're getting a little angsty this chapter.

Hades sat on the floor in the doorway of Makaria’s bedroom. His eyes were closed, head leaned back against the frame as he listened to the soft snores of his daughter from the small bed in the center of the room. 

“What are you feeling, love?” Persephone said, jolting Hades out of his thoughts. 

He turned his head to look at her, a tired smile gracing his features as he reached for her, placing a hand on her extended belly when she was within reach. “The magnitude of her power. It’s connected to the Underworld, like yours and mine. And it’s strong. It feels  _ so  _ much like mine, and I’ve never felt anything like it before. Not when Hebe or Ares were born. Their power grew, and was tied to their godhead. But Makaria….” he trailed off, his hand falling back down to his side. “This baby is the same, I can already feel it.”

“I can too.” Persephone whispered, reaching out to card her fingers through Hades’ hair. She cleared her throat to speak up. “So they’re powerful. And they got all of their power at once. Ares and Hebe aren’t Chthonic deities, dear. It stands to reason that our kids will be different.”

Hades sighed. “That much power, with no discernible godhead, it’s concerning, Sweetness. Nothing to focus that power, to direct it…”

“They are  _ royal _ goddesses, Hades. The first Chthonic deities born in thousands of years, and to the first born and  _ rightful _ heir of the realms, if your mother is to be believed. They are tied to the root of  _ everyone’s _ power, the Underworld.”

“Persephone, if you’re trying to reassure me, it’s not working. If anything, being tied to the Underworld is  _ more _ dangerous, because -”

“Because the magic that resides here is unstable, yes, I know. I am not in the mood for this conversation, again, when I am seven months pregnant and exhausted and uncomfortable. You know how I feel about this, and that isn’t going to change when this baby is born.”

Hades stood, wrapping his arm around his wife’s shoulders and leading her down the hallway to their bedroom. “You’re right, I’m sorry. I’m just -”

“Nervous,  _ I know _ . But do you know what I am right now?”

“Tired?”

“Very. And sore. And we have a long day tomorrow. So please, no more fretting over our daughters’ powers, okay?”

Hades smiled, and kissed the top of her head as they separated to change into pajamas. “Yes, dear.”

* * *

_ Knock. Knock…. knockknockknockknockknockknockknockknockknock _

“I’ll get it!” Persephone shouted from the kitchen, smiling at the shared giggles between her husband and daughter in the other room. When she opened the door, she had to suppress the eye roll at her mother’s appearance. “Hello, Mama.”

“Dear,” Demeter said, leaning in to place a light kiss on her cheek. She was wearing a white turtleneck and matching pants, a cardigan, and a heavy coat. Persephone let her into the house and offered to take her coat, but Demeter just wrapped it tighter around herself.

“Really, Mama, it’s not  _ that  _ cold. I’ve got fires going in every room of the house -”

“That husband of yours should have gotten rid of all those dangerous fireplaces the second Makaria was born. It’s not safe - “

“Mother, I am not having this discussion with you again. That child is  _ never  _ alone, and Hades had Hecate place magical barriers around every potentially hazardous corner of this house. I even bounce off things from time to time.” Persephone chuckled, attempting to lead her mother to the kitchen. “You’re a bit early, so I’m still getting some stuff ready. You don’t have to help, but I can make you some tea and we can chat for a bit while I cook.”

Demeter nodded, and Persephone only just then noticed the box she was carrying. “I can put that on the table with her other presents in the living room.”

“I’ll come with you. I should say hello to Makaria.”

Persephone sighed, but led her mother through the front hall. Nothing could contain her grin at the sight of her husband sitting cross legged on the floor, Makaria standing in front of him as he gently combed and styled her hair. The toddler waved at the two women when they walked through the door, but Demeter barely even noticed. 

“Honestly, Kore, I don’t know why you let him manhandle her hair like that,” she scoffed, shoving the wrapped gift at her daughter. “Makaria, darling, wouldn’t you rather have Yia-yia do your hair?”

Makaria scrunched her face up in confusion, glancing between her mother and father. “No, tank you, Yia-yia. Daddy do pretty! With bows.” Makaria extended two clenched fists with bits of brightly-colored ribbons poking through her fingers.

Hades chuckled under his breath, reaching for her little hands. “What color today, Princess?” he asked, electively ignoring the conversation with his mother-in-law.

“Lellow! Like my shoes.” Makaria explained happily, the confrontation all but forgotten.

“You’re right, sweet girl! Your shoes  _ are _ yellow. Can you say thank you to Yia-yia for bringing you a present?” Persephone asked, placing the box on the already-full table.

But Demeter had already turned out of the room, and as Hades finished tying the bows on her half-up pigtails, Makaria’s lip started to quiver. “I make Yia-yia mad?”

Hades sighed, looking at his wife with a  _ you-don’t-want-me-to-go-down-that-road _ expression. 

“No baby, I think she was just hungry and didn’t hear us. Maybe you and Daddy can read a book before everyone gets here?” she said, knowing the quiet time would be just as good for her husband as it would be for her daughter. 

“Story! Story time, pwease, Daddy?” Makaria turned, clasping her little hands together as she pleaded.

Hades chuckled, the plea totally unnecessary. “Of course! It’s your birthday! I’ll do whatever you want.” Hades picked up the toddler around her middle, making her giggle as he helped her ‘fly’ around on their way to the library. 

* * *

“You know, Kore, this is really typical. I  _ told  _ you to stay away from men, but did you listen? Of course not. Now look at you: barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen.” Demeter said as she inspected the tea cup she was holding. 

“Mother, please. I’m just trying to have a nice party for Makaria. Is it possible that you could maybe  _ try _ and not insult my husband,  _ in his home _ , on our daughter’s birthday?” Persephone said, keeping her back to her mother so she could roll her eyes in peace. 

“You seriously expect me to  _ not _ be bitter today, of all days? It’s the first day of fall!”

Persephone placed a platter on the island, in front of Demeter, with a scathing look. “I am aware. We chose this day to be the start of fall because it is Makaria’s birthday. It marks an extended period of time where I will not be away from her without interruption. And I thought, that maybe, since it is a day about  _ your granddaughter _ , that it would help a bit with your sulking. But if you plan on continuing to make this day about you and how much you hate the life I have chosen, I will stop inviting you. There is no reason for you to upset my child with your pettiness.”

Demeter scoffed, waving away Persephone’s speech as if it was an annoying mosquito flying in her face during the harvest.. “It’s not as if she’s old enough to be aware of such things.”

“She is old enough. She noticed today when you stormed off because you were mad that Hades was doing her hair - something, I might add, he does very well and almost every day. She was very upset because she thought she had angered you. She is three years old, and very smart, and very emotionally aware. It has something to do with her godhead, I think - having a unique understanding of other people’s suffering. So when I tell you that I will not stand for you upsetting my child, I don’t mean in the future. I mean right now.”

“Pfft. You  _ can’t _ know that Persephone. For all you know your child might not even  _ have _ a godhead. She hasn’t exhibited any signs -”

“Mother…”

“-of having any speciality at  _ all _ . Everyone knew who you would be the second they held you.”

“Mother.”

“I’m just saying don’t get your hopes up.”

Persephone slammed the knife she was holding onto the cutting board, leftover fruit juices splattering over her apron. “When I told you to stop insulting my husband, that  _ was not _ an invitation to start in on my daughter.”

“You really should get a handle on your emotions Kore-cob; we don’t want a repeat of-”

“If you were about to say ‘the incident’, you can fucking leave.”

Demeter blinked at her daughter, completely shocked at her outburst. Then she pursed her lips, and stood slowly. “Fine. You may explain to  _ your daughter _ why her Yia-yia is missing her party. I can see I’m not welcome.”

Persephone sighed, crossing her arms across her chest. “ _ You _ are welcome, Mother. Your attitude is not. And I will have no issue telling Makaria that her Yia-yia was being mean to Daddy and needed to go home and have a  _ time out _ .”

Demeter huffed, dropping her tea cup on the floor and stomping out the front door, the only sound was the slam of the front door and Persephone’s groan as she struggled to kneel and pick up the broken glass. 

She was so upset, hot, angry tears rolling down her cheeks and her mind a livid red haze, that she did not notice the soft pad of socked feet approaching the kitchen. 

“Shit! Persephone, what happened?” Hades stepped forward, kneeling in front of her to try and grab her attention. At the sound of his voice, she started to sob, and Hades wrapped her up in his arms, ignoring the tea and glass under his knees. 

When her tears had dried, Persephone looked at him with a watery smile. “How did you know to come down? I thought you were in the library.”

“Makaria. She stopped my reading and told me Mama was upset, so we were coming to rescue you, but then we heard the door slam, so I put Makaria in the playroom. She’s worried about you, I think. She asked why you had turned ‘sad-mad’.” Hades wiped the tear tracks from her face before gesturing to the mess he was kneeling in. “Accident or on purpose?”

“On purpose. I told her to leave if she couldn’t be nice.” Hades raised an eyebrow, questioning whether that was the whole story, and Persephone shook her head. “Later. My hormones can barely handle today as it is.”

Just as Hades helped her to her feet, kissing her forehead when he was sure she was stable, there were light footsteps slowly hopping down the staircase, and a loud splash from the front hall. 

“Uncle Posie!”

“Is that my favorite niece?!”

Persephone and Hades shared a look. 

_ Here we go.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you Swoonie, my dear and beloved beta, for being the amazing human you are.
> 
> next chapter will be a continuation, instead of a skip. 
> 
> I do want to give you, the readers, a little heads up. I'm trying to be more consistent with my updates across all my stories, which means this fic probably won't be updated as quickly as come home and wedding song were (last few chapters aside). I'm also finally dedicating some serious time to my novel, so it leaves me less time to dedicate to a single project. I have another fic dropping today, as well as some oneshots in the meantime. 
> 
> Finally, this is just another little heads up for something that will be happening down the line. Once I finish this fic, I will be going back and revising "Come Home With Me" - nothing major will change, the plot will be exactly the same, as will most of the text. But that fic had no beta, and there are a lot of typos and mistakes in there, and since there is a parallel fic (M'Kay, by INeedMoreHadesBeforeISwoon) and I'd like to work in some allusions to that and what we know now in canon (example - technically that first chapter happens on persephone's birthday, but we didn't know that when i wrote it sooooooo)
> 
> anyway, that's happening way down the line, but i thought i'd let people know in case there were questions
> 
> as always, your comments and feedback are lovely and appreciated and I will respond to all of them when i can!
> 
> xoxo  
> Rissa


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